The first residents of Beam Park, the 3,000-home regeneration scheme on the border of Rainham and Barking and Dagenham, have now moved into their new homes.

Construction has also begun on the second phase of the £1bn regeneration scheme being delivered by developer Countryside and housing association L&Q who are transforming a former Ford manufacturing plant into a new and vibrant destination.

Five families have now moved into their new homes in the first phase of the development. An estimated 17 homes are due to be occupied before the end of the year.

Expected to be complete in 2022, the first phase of Beam Park is delivering 640 new homes, a primary school and a new park which will include play areas for children and serve as a community space.

New residents, Carley and Andrew Monk said: “We were one of, if not the first, to exchange contracts at Beam Park, and we’re delighted to have now moved in.

"You can already see how the new community is springing up, and while coronavirus has made things a bit more difficult, there’s already quite a big community spirit here.

"We don’t intend to move for a long time, so it’s going to be really nice to watch the area grow around us and become more established.”

Construction has also started on phase 2 of the development which will see a further 514 homes in 2023, totalling 1,154 homes across the 29-hectare site. Fifty per cent of the homes will be affordable.

When complete in 2030, the site will have extensive facilities including a new c2c railway station, two schools, retail spaces, a gym, a nursery, a multi-faith centre and two energy centres.

Forty-four per cent of the development has been allocated for publicly accessible green space, which includes a three-hectare central park in the heart of the development with the River Beam running through it.

Kevin Delve, managing director of east London partnerships for Countryside, said: “ This is a very significant milestone in our transformation of a derelict site into a thriving new neighbourhood, and we’re looking forward to welcoming further residents before Christmas.

“Even though we’ve been here working every day, we’ve still been amazed by the scale of the transformation at Beam Park, with over 1,000 homes currently under construction.

"This is a real achievement given that we only started on site one and a half years ago, and testament to the hard work and expertise of our team.”

Vicky Savage, London managing director at L&Q, added: “We’re delighted that the new residents here share our vision for this neighbourhood.

"From these early stages, we’re looking forward to seeing the community here grow from strength to strength – as we continue to bring forward new homes, community facilities and transport connections over the coming years.”

One-bedroom apartments to three-bedroom duplexes are available at Beam Park, with prices starting at £285,000 and Help to Buy available on selected plots. A new collection of houses launches in January, with three- and four-bedroom houses available with private gardens.

L&Q will be launching the first phase of Shared Ownership properties in early 2021, helping to make it possible for first-time buyers and families to get on the property ladder.